The geographic features people want to rename

Colorado’s newly formed geographic naming board has received 16 requests to change the names of mountains and open areas in the state — many because of the current names’ derogatory connotations toward American Indians or Black people.

The board will be charged with making recommendations for name changes as well as recommending names for new sites.

Here are the 16 pending proposals for name changes:

• Mount Evans in Clear Creek County: three requests. Proposed alternatives: Mount Rosalie,

Mount Soule, Mount Cheyenne Arapaho.

• Squaw Mountain in Clear Creek County. Proposed alternative: Mount Mistanta.

• Redskin Creek in Jefferson and Park Counties. Proposed alternative: Ute Creek.

• Chinaman Gulch in Chaffee County. Proposed alternative: Trout Creek Gulch.

• Redskin Mountain in Jefferson County. Proposed alternative: Mount Jerome.

• Negro Creek in Delta County. Proposed alternatives: Hops Creek or Clay Creek.

• Negro Mesa in Delta County. Proposed alternative: Clay Mesa.

• Negro Draw in Montezuma County. Proposed alternative: Hops Draw.

• Benchmark Lake Reservoir in Eagle County. Proposed alternative: Nottingham Lake.

• V H Pasture Reservoir in San Miguel County. Proposed alternative: Elk Springs Reservoir.

• Vurl Reservoir in San Miguel County. Proposed alternative: Wapiti Reservoir.

• Unnamed Peak in Jefferson County. Proposed alternative: Cimarron Peak.

• Calkins Lake in Weld County. Proposed alternative: Union Reservoir.

The Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board was created by Gov. Jared Polis at a time when people across the country have been calling for the removal of symbols of racism. Colorado

was one of only two states without such a board.

“It is not lost on me the times under which this Board is meeting,” Dan Gibbs, executive director of the Department of Natural Resources, said in a statement. “We will have opportunities to help Colorado continue to evolve to be more inclusive and better reflect the diversity and stories of our population and true history through the names of its natural features.”

To learn more about the board or submit a naming request, go to Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources website.